Wexford end season with win over experimental Kilkenny side
INSPIRED WIN: Lee Chin led the way for Wexford as they overcome an experimental Kilkenny side.
WEXFORD ended what has been a painful season with a Lee Chin inspired victory over an experimental Kilkenny side in this Leinster Senior Hurling Championship fifth round clash at Chadwicks Wexford Park.
Knowing their fate going into this game, Wexford's championship season was already over, it was an emotional exit for the homeside, particularly many of their more experienced players who have soldiered and struggled to keep their prospects alive, but the page may now have turned on many of their inter-county careers.
Kilkenny only fielded a handful of their regular starting 15, but on the whole their display, while their usage of the ball in the opening half was impressive, they struggled through a lacklustre second 35 minutes, with few of their extended squad putting their hands up for a place in the provincial final team.
From the opening minutes it was clear that Chin was song, determined to end the campaign on high, finishing the game with a personal tally of 1-13, 0-7 frees, while it was his second half goal that lifted a rather sombre atmosphere.
Ten minutes from the end, Chin fielded a high ball among a forest of hurleys, turned some 25 metres from goal 15 metres to the right of goal, to blaze an unstoppable shot across keeper Eoin Murphy into the opposite corner of the net, a finish that would qualify for goal of the season.
Kilkenny spoke of having experimented with his extended squad.
Manager Derek Lyng said: 'We already had one eye on the provincial final, so it was an opportunity to give our fringe players some game time. We would be a bit disappointed with our opening to the second half, got punished for some mistakes, but really happy with the way we finished the game.
'For us we will now concentrate the next few weeks on the provincial final. We have no injury concerns and it was pleasing to see Adrian Mullins get through seventy minutes in his first game back after injury.'
The game opened with Lee Chin and Billy Drennan points, with the sides continuing to exchange points this time through Jack O'Connor and a T. J. Reid, free. Kilkenny were playing into a stiff breeze in this opening half as the exchange of points continued through a long Lee Chin effort and Cian Kenny, who had replaced team captain, John Donnelly, before the start.
Both sides were showing real work ethic through the opening 10 minutes, but with Chin continuing to punish indiscipline in the visitors defence, Wexford had extended into a 0-8 to 0-4 lead by the twenty-second minute.
Wexford hit a scoring spell in the lead up to the break, with Chin lofting over three superb points, two long range efforts from frees, with Conor Hearne also getting in on the scoring act, with Chin pointing a long free out of midfield in additional time, to send his side in with a 0-12 to 0-5 interval lead.
One expected a positive response from Kilkenny on the resumption, which looked like materialising within thirty seconds of the restart, with T.J. Reid pointing a free, but the Wexford response was swift, as Chin picked out Rory O'Connor with a delightful crossfield ball and the St. Martin's clubman turned his marker to beat keeper Eoin Murphy with a clinical finish, extending his side into a 1-12 to 0-6 lead.
Killian Doyle chipped in with a Kilkenny point but with Chin continuing to inspire with splendid scores, the Faythe Harriers clubman ended the Kilkenny challenge with a magnificent sixtieth minute goal, leaving his side leading 2-17 to 0-11.
Kilkenny tried to reduce the deficit, T. J. Reid had two goal attempts from frees saved, while defender Eoin Ryan got back to clear another effort off the line to preserve his side's control.
Kilkenny did manage to finish with a late Reid goal but it was fitting that Chin closed out the scoring with a huge point off the wing.
: L Chin (1-13, 0-7 frees); R O'Connor (1-1); S Donohoe, C Hearne, C McDonald, J O'Connor and M Dwyer (0-1 apiece).
T Reid (1-4, 0-1 frees, 0-2, '65s); C Kenny (0-4); F Mackesy (0-3); K Doyle, S Donnelly, L Connellan and B Drennan (0-1 apiece),
: M Fanning; C Molloy, S Donohoe, C Foley; E Ryan, D Reck, D Carley; C Hearne, C Byrne-Dunbar; J O'Connor, L Chin, R O'Connor; K Foley, M Dwyer, C Byrne.
N Murphy for Reck (inj. 30); C McDonald for Dwyer (49); D Codd for J O'Connor (64), C McGuckin for Molloy (68).
: E Murphy; P Connellan, P Moylan, T Walsh; D Blanchfield, A Mullen, Z B Hammond; K Doyle, P McDonald; L Connellan, C Kenny, F Mackesy; B Drennan, T Reid, O Wall.
S Donnelly for McDonald (43), G Dunne for Wall (47), R Reid for Hammond (54), N Shortall for Drennan (60), S Staunton for Mullen (69).
: S Stack (Dublin).
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